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XM

bajasammy - 5-22-2007 at 08:25 AM

Thanks Pomp!

I was noticing more temporary fadeouts than usual here in the OC recently.

Imagine my Surprise

MrBillM - 5-22-2007 at 09:06 AM

I had my XM home antenna sitting in the window sill in the Screened Patio. Last week, we replaced the old Bamboo covering on the Ramada with Corrugated Steel Sheets. After we installed the sheets, we still had Marginal reception because the antenna was apparently looking off to the East just under the eaves. Because it kept losing lock, we temporarily moved it onto the railing around the ramada where we got a good (3) bar signal strength looking to the Southeast with the antenna at a 45 degree angle.

Ayer, it went to NO SIGNAL. Previously, the antenna had once fallen off the railing before I secured it down and I assumed it had been damaged. To check, I unplugged the receiver and took it out to the Truck where I found that the 12V power cord has apparently gone bad when I last removed it because the pin won't go all the way in. Took it back to the patio, that cord plugged in fine. Cut all of the ty-raps on that cord and fed it out of the wall so I could take it out to the car. Radio worked fine. Must be the antenna. A last thought was, what if the particular satellite that it was looking at had a problem ? After getting all of the slack in the cord possible, I had mi esposa take the antenna out and point it directly at the open sky. Worked Fine. Hmm, must be a satellite problem ? Not likely, but possible.

This a.m. I received the XM bulletin and said, among other things, a number of inappropriate expletives.

Oh Well, it keeps life interesting, I guess. I suppose it is just a strange coincidence that the interior portion of the 12VDVC power cord went bad.

oxxo - 5-22-2007 at 09:11 AM

My Sirius receiver has been working fine. I use it to keep track of the Phil Spector trial on Court TV. Now he is one weird dude!

[Edited on 5-22-2007 by oxxo]

Hook - 5-22-2007 at 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
My Sirius receiver has been working fine. I use it to keep track of the Phil Spector trial on Court TV. Now he is one weird dude!

[Edited on 5-22-2007 by oxxo]

Court TV AND Howard Stern, too?

Gawd, I hope this merger doesnt go through..........

Speaking of XM Problem

MrBillM - 5-23-2007 at 09:52 AM

Does anyone know of a source for the 12VDC - 6VDC car power cord for the Roady receiver ? Checking the XM site and doing a search of after-market providers, I have not been able so far to locate the cord ONLY.

Obviously, if they assumed that the cord was so dependable it wouldn't go bad, in my case they were wrong.

ursidae69 - 5-23-2007 at 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBillM
Does anyone know of a source for the 12VDC - 6VDC car power cord for the Roady receiver ? Checking the XM site and doing a search of after-market providers, I have not been able so far to locate the cord ONLY.

Obviously, if they assumed that the cord was so dependable it wouldn't go bad, in my case they were wrong.

This place might have something.
http://store.xmfanstore.com/xmpocoandba.html

I picked up an extra power cord and antenna for my Sirius unit off Ebay.

Muchas Gracias

MrBillM - 5-23-2007 at 05:45 PM

Great. I just ordered two DC power cords and a spare Home Antenna.

backninedan - 5-23-2007 at 05:54 PM

I have had great reception with my XM car radio, with the exception of a 20 mile stretch extending north from La Paz. Once in La Paz the signal picks up again and is fine all the way to cabo.

Santiago - 5-23-2007 at 09:32 PM

OK - I have a satelite radio question: I have a new truck that came with XM. While fooling around with the programs offered - I was wondering what the other satelite radio system offered and I checked their website and was astounded to see that there was a Playboy channel??? Huh???? how does that work?

Like this

Dave - 5-23-2007 at 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Santiago
I checked their website and was astounded to see that there was a Playboy channel??? Huh???? how does that work?

Oh...Oh god...Ooo Oh God...Oh...Oh...Oh...Oh God...Oh yeah right there
Oh! Oh...Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes...Oh...Oh...Yes Yes Yes....Oh...Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes...Oh...Oh... Oh... Oh God Oh... Oh...

Diver - 5-24-2007 at 02:13 PM

Dave, call me later. :biggrin:

.

[Edited on 5-24-2007 by Diver]

XM and La PAz

rob - 5-25-2007 at 08:34 AM

Hi Backninedan!

Yes - that 20 miles north of La Paz is NOT good!Unfortunately that's my grocery run . . . strange thing is that CNN is lousy, right next door, CNN Headlines and FOX are perfect.

Sure makes the trip go fast.

jeffg - 5-25-2007 at 08:57 AM

Yes, right as you come up on the plateau where you have a clear view of the sky. A strange spot for sure, it happens every time there.

Actually my XM reception in the car gets pretty spotty south of Loreto, we usually give up on it on the road headed into Insurgentes. You guys who get good reception all the way down, what type of antenna's are you using? Anything other than the basic delphi mini-antenna? We have that on the roof, but there is a roof rack above it that might be causing my problems.

Thanks!

Jeff

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano
Has anyone noticed the short XM 'blind spot' near El Rosario? Very unusual and supports my theory that alien activity exists in that area.

toneart - 5-25-2007 at 09:29 AM

I have never experienced blind spots anywhere in Baja with my Serius Satellite Radio, including the spots mentioned in this string. I do hit blind spots often while in the mountains where I live in Northern CA.

For anyone considering a purchase this info might be helpful. I also prefer the available programming on Serius over XM. However, I think they made a bad mistake in giving that huge contract to Howard Stern.

With either system it sure makes a difference when you want to stay in touch while in Baja. When living there you can stay informed without having to buy a TV and all the necessary and expensive equipment (assuming you want to stay informed). Being a media junkie, it is my cross to bear. Regarding the world news and U.S. politics, I just want to know what the bastards are up to so I can make counter moves. :cool:

Joelt - 5-25-2007 at 11:38 AM

I agree with Pampano about the alien presence near El Rasario. What else would explain that I always loose my XM signal on top of the hill north of town near the inspection area where there is nothing to block the signal. I also had a hard time with reception just north of La Paz for about 40 miles or so in November. I wonder if the signal has blind spots like you eye? maybe the aliens are behind that too!

Satellite Trivia

MrBillM - 6-2-2007 at 09:00 PM

Although it has nothing to do with XM, during a lookup today I found that the three satellites used by Sirius Radio for their broadcast are not Geostationary, but make an elliptical figure-eight over the American Continent.

This information is of no use at all.

Sirius.jpg - 24kB

Mr. Bill M

Loretana - 6-2-2007 at 09:49 PM

Maybe that explains why my Sirius Radio has been perfect here in Loreto since I hooked up April 15th.

Of course, it hasn't weathered a hurricane here yet, either!

:spingrin:

rob - 6-3-2007 at 08:24 AM

Gee MrBill - on the contrary, your information just about nails the problem . . .

Thanks!

XM and Sirius

MrBillM - 6-3-2007 at 09:15 AM

What piqued my curiosity was a Business Page article in April regarding XM being in trouble with the FCC over ground-repeating antennas they had been installing in big cities where Building Shadows prevented reception of their signal. Of the 800 odd antennas they'd installed, around 300 were either installed without permits or exceeded that signal strength limitations. The FCC was debating the penalty and it was stated it might make the merger even more doubtful.

In that article, it was stated that Sirius didn't suffer from the same signal interference because they used a different satellite configuration. Now we know why. What I found interesting about the XM satellites is that there are only two. The one that went under for awhile was at 85.1 W. The other at 105.0 W.

It's sort of like knowing what kind of skillet and cooking source the chef used to cook your eggs. It doesn't make the end result any different.

toneart - 6-3-2007 at 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrBillM
Although it has nothing to do with XM, during a lookup today I found that the three satellites used by Sirius Radio for their broadcast are not Geostationary, but make an elliptical figure-eight over the American Continent.

This information is of no use at all.

On the contrary, the ellipse looks like a noose with which to hang oneself if XM signal is getting to be too much to tolerate.

Well, I don't suppose that was funny enough to warrant this guy>>>>>>> :lol:

Anyway, regarding reception with Serius, I reported earlier that I never encounter blind spots while on the road in Baja. What I didn't say is that when stationary....at home in Baja or in California, there is a period in the afternoons when I lose the signal. I then have to move the antenna temporarily to a spot that I have found to work for that period, and then I eventually lose that signal and I move it back again to the spot that works most of the time.

So Bill, I suppose your explanation of Serius' elliptical pattern of satellite travel would explain my (small) problem. :light:

bajalou - 6-3-2007 at 12:53 PM

XM all OK here in San Felipe

Pompano

bajadave1 - 6-4-2007 at 05:56 AM

Have you tried asking the "voices" in your tackle box?

:lol:

Dave

toneart - 6-4-2007 at 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadave1
Have you tried asking the "voices" in your tackle box?

:lol:

Dave

Don't go there.

I think Pandora lives in there.